Pretoria – Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Friday wrap up his official visit to China, aimed at studying how state-owned enterprises can be utilised to promote economic growth in South Africa.
He is expected to hold several meetings in the city of Shenzhen and visit the Shenzhen Comprehensive Traffic Command Centre, as part of the integrated smart city concept.
According to the Presidency, the command centre is a programme of initiatives supported and advanced by ICT. It is managed and run by a governing entity in order to improve the quality of experiences for residents, business and visitors.
Key features of the command centre include intelligent traffic systems, to build an entire high-speed network for combination and renovation of various industries as well as to further develop the construction of infrastructure for the enhancement of a city's management ability.
He will also have an opportunity to visit the Shenzhen Port, the world's third largest container port.
Later on the Deputy President and his delegation will visit the headquarters of Huawei and then interact with top executives of ZTE.
Earlier in the week, the delegation visited a several Chinese state-owned enterprises to see how South Africa could utilise the Chinese model in its own re-industrialisation process.
Five to Ten Year Strategic Programme
While in China, Deputy President Ramaphosa has held bilateral political and economic discussions with his counterpart, Vice President Li Yuanchao and Premier Li Keqiang within the context of the Five to Ten Year Strategic Programme.
The programme was signed by President Jacob Zuma during his state visit to China in 2014.
This strategic programme focuses essentially on trade and investment cooperation, financial cooperation with reference to the BRICS new Development Bank, infrastructure development, energy issues, vocational training and the co-hosting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), scheduled to be held in South Africa later this year.
Deputy President Ramaphosa will return to South Africa on Saturday ahead of International Nelson Mandela Day. – SAnews.gov.za
